Trace elements in arable Cambisols and Luvisols developed from boulder loam and fluvioglacial sands of the Skierniewicka Upland (central Poland)

Abstract

The paper was focused on determining the content soluble in 20% HCl of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Co, Pb, and Ni in arable Cambisols and Luvisols, developed from boulder loams and fluvioglacial sands of the Middle-Polish (Riss) glacial period, Wartanian Stadial in the Skierniewicka Upland, and recognizing the relationships between these elements and selected soil properties. The mean content of Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Co, Pb, Ni, and Fe in the soils developed from boulder loam was: 288, 24, 5, 3, 12.4, 4, 9, and 6.8 mg·kg−1 of soil, and 1.24%, respectively. The contents of the above mentioned elements in soils developed from fluvioglacial sands were lower and reached: 235, 16, 2.9, 6.5, 2.5, 7, 3.4 mg·kg−1 of soil, and 0.71%, respectively. Statistical analysis has indicated a correlation between the total amounts of Zn, Cu, B, Co, Ni, and the contents of <0.02 mm and <0.002 mm particles and iron. The Fe content was correlated with the texture of soil, the Mn amount was correlated only with the iron content, whereas that of lead – with the organic carbon content. The soil-forming processes influenced the distribution of total contents of elements. The lessivage process influenced the distribution of Zn, Cu and B, the brunification process influenced the distribution of Fe, Ni, B and Co, the gleying process influenced the distribution of Mn, whereas Pb and Zn were bioaccumulated in most humus horizons of the studied soils. The studied arable soils had natural contents of trace elements.

Keywords

• trace elements
• boulder loam
• sand
• lessivage
• brunification